Lead Technical Expert - Information Governance

Health Research Authority; Newcastle upon Tyne; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Health Research Authority in Newcastle upon Tyne is offering fixed-term secondments for senior information governance professionals currently working in NHS/HSC settings. These roles aim to streamline study setup and assurances to help sites meet the government target of 150 days or less.

Successful candidates will provide expert input and leadership to improve information governance during health and care research, collaborating with HRA staff and national partners.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience in information governance, data protection, or related field.
• UK data protection law knowledge applied to health and care research.
• Public sector information governance experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert input to improve study set-up and assurances for information governance in health and care research.
• Work across NHS/HSC organisations to drive improvements and guidance on information governance.

Skills

Information governance

Data protection

Confidentiality

Cybersecurity

Education

Degree in information governance

Data protection qualification (ISEB/BCS)

Job description

Job summary

Fixed term secondments at the HRA. Information Governance leads currently working in NHS/HSC (Northern Ireland) Organisations

The Health Research Authority (HRA) is offering a new, exciting opportunity for senior, experienced members of the professional information governance communities working in health and care research. These roles will contribute to improving study set-up by streamlining processes and supporting sites to take assurances, reducing time taken to setup research to meet the ambitious government target of 150 days or less.

We are seeking expert input and leadership to support this work, and appointments will be made from this pool of experienced professionals. Roles will be offered on a fixed-term secondment basis, with flexible whole-time equivalents, recognising that they will be undertaken alongside existing professional responsibilities.

Successful individuals will work on behalf of the HRA to help develop improvements in set-up and assurances provided for research involving information governance. They will work closely with HRA staff and existing experts who advise us to support change in the NHS and HSC (Northern Ireland) help organisations make proportionate use of study-wide assurance, provide early expertise and advice to industry sponsors and partners including the NIHR RRDN, CRDCs and Industry Hub.

Opportunities are offered up to 1.0 WTE IG lead in total and may be shared by up to 4 individuals depending on interest, expertise and availability.

Main duties of the job

In addition to the person specification, you will:

• be a senior member of staff with experience relevant to Information Governance and the set-up and delivery of commercial research
• currently work in the NHS/HSC (Northern Ireland)
• have experience of working across wide collaborative groups to drive improvements in practice, or evidence of authoring professional guidance or standards
• have direct experience within an NHS/HSC organisation of advising on Information Governance requirements related to the set-up of health and care research
• have relevant experience of cybersecurity and digital-system assurance, including experience of DSPT or devolved nation equivalents and understanding how assurance applies to third-party suppliers, electronic systems, devices and local integration in a research context (desirable)
• have a pragmatic and proportionate approach to research set-up and delivery
• be able to see the big picture and excited to deliver improvements for the UK as a whole
• have internal agreement and the time to commit to this fixed-term secondment opportunity

About us

At the HRA, we are committed to fostering a supportive and inclusive working environment where we actively invest in the development and empowerment of our staff, enabling them to perform at their best. We strive to promote a healthy workplace culture where wellbeing, collaboration, and professional growth are valued and encouraged.

Working at the HRA, we support flexible working, recognising that home based or hybrid arrangements provides us with the most productive environment to work well. Where possible, we'll offer a working pattern that suits you.

The HRA offers home based contracts for all locations. Newcastle, Manchester and Nottingham based staff can be office based and hybrid working arrangements are also possible. We encourage you to speak with us to explore how this could be accommodated.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that helps us to deliver the best services. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community: age, disability, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and other diverse characteristics, and we have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential

• Relevant degree or equivalent professional experience in information governance, data protection, or a related field
• Knowledge of UK data protection law and confidentiality requirements as applied to health and care research

Desirable

• Relevant professional qualification (e.g. ISEB/BCS Data Protection, or equivalent)

Professional Appointments

Essential

• Currently employed in a senior information governance, data protection or research governance role within an NHS/HSC organisation or equivalent
• Experience of supporting or advising on the use of confidential patient information for research purposes

Desirable

• Experience of working with or alongside research ethics or confidentiality advisory processes (e.g. REC/CAG or equivalent)
• Experience of representing an organisation in national or cross-organisational professional forums

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of advising on information governance in the context of health and care research, including data protection and confidentiality considerations
• Experience of reviewing research applications, protocols or data flows to assess information governance requirements
• Understanding of study set-up processes and the interaction between sponsors and NHS/HSC organisations
• Ability to apply a pragmatic and proportionate approach to information governance issues arising during research set-up and delivery
• Current evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Desirable

• Experience of contributing to the development of guidance, policy or standardised approaches to information governance in research Experience of working across organisations to support consistent or proportionate approaches and influence changes in operational practice
• Experience of cybersecurity and digital-system assurance, including DSPT or devolved nation equivalents and an understanding of how assurance applies to third-party suppliers, electronic systems, devices and local integration in a research context

Areas of expertise

Essential

• Conversant with health and care research undertaken across a range of settings (e.g. clinical trials, observational research, data-enabled research)
• Understanding of key information governance considerations including data minimisation, transparency, lawful basis, and confidentiality
• Understanding of sponsor and site responsibilities in the set-up and delivery of health and care research
• Understanding of study-wide assurance and the distinction between matters that can be relied upon centrally and those that genuinely require local action

Desirable

• Ability to contribute to UK-wide policy, guidance and standardised approaches, working across the Four Nations where required, and to provide authoritative professional advice to a range of stakeholders.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see

Employer details

Employer name

Health Research Authority

Address

Holland Drive
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE2 4NQ
United Kingdom

Employer's website